Ammunition



Dec. 1, 1936.-

H. M. BRAYTON 62,495

AMMUNITION Filed Sept. 19, 193" 2 Sheets-Sheet l TIE-1 47 4/ HA/ww M. fi M Dec. 1, 1936. H. M. BRAYTON AMMUNITION Filed Sept. 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qwuentoz W H48 040 A7. 5RAf7'0/V w Gum/maga- Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE Claims. The invention relates to improvements in ammunitionand more particularly to meansfor service requirements.

holding the impelling powder on the projectile.

One of the main requirements for modern weapons is to obtain the maximum possible range for the projectile. In certain classes of weapons, it is also very necessary that provision be made wherebythe operator can vary the impelling powder charge at will, thus permitting him to select diflerent muzzle velocities and therefore different ranges for the projectile.

,Ammunitions heretofore employed in the art have possessed limitations and defects making them incapable of fully and completely meeting My invention aims to provide a new and improved ammunition permitting the incorporation of, a much larger quantity of impelling powder and permitting easy removal of one or more increments' of this powder, at the same time securely holdingthe capsules containing the increments in place for transportation and handling.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying draw- Preferred structures have been illustrated and will be rather specifically described, with the understanding however, that numerous variations may be made within thescope of the invention as claimed.

A tubular cylindrical tail member Ill (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is suitably secured at I l to the reduced rear portion l2 ofa projectile I3 whereas in Fig. 4 a much longer tubular tail member Ill is shown secured at ll to the rearof the projectile l3. Radial longitudinally extending fins l4 are secured to the member ID or HP, those of the member It) being about co-extensive in length therewith whereas those shown in Fig. 4 are considerably shorter than the member In. Capsules containing the increments of impelling powder are placed between the fins I4 and are so held therein that any number of said capsules may readily be removed. The capsules are given the number IS in most views, in which they are somewhat shorter than the fins M. In Fig. 4, however, the capsules are shown at l5 and they project forwardly from said fins around the front 5 portion of the'tail l0.

In the present disclosure, each fin I4 is provided with a deep notch 16 opening through its outer edge and extending from a point near the rear end of the fin to a point near the front end thereof, and is provided also with a plurality of long slender longitudinally spaced fingers within said notch. Some or all of these fingers are bent laterally to hold the capsules I5 or l5 against radial movement from engagement with the fins l4. When removing any of the capsules I5, if said capsules be sufficiently yieldable, the fingers I! need not be molested, but if removal of capsules can be facilitated by bending said fingers, this can readily be accomplished. The long slender formation of the fingers l1 and the spacing thereof, insure that they shall not interfere with passage of propulsion gases through the notches I6 at the moment of firing, said passage being essential for best results.

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the capsules against longitudinal sliding. Preferably, fingers l8 are bent laterally from the rear ends of the fins M to abut the rear endfacing surfaces of the capsules. In the form of to hold them against forward sliding. When removing capsules, the cord may be cut and withdrawn if desired and it is not necessary to insert another cord or the like before loading the weapon.

In Fig. 5, the front ends of the fins M are provided with bendable fingers 2| to abut the capsules l5, holdng them against forward sliding.

When the capsules project forwardly beyond the fins as shown in Fig. 4, suitable provision is made for connecting the front ends of the capsules with the projectile. In the present disclosure, the capsules i5 are provided with for? wardly projecting fingers 22 lying against the projectile tail portion Ill and secured against the same by a cord or the like 23. ing a capsule, its finger 22 may be withdrawn from under the cord or the like 23.

Ignition of the impelling powder in the capsules may be accomplished in any desired man- When removner. In the structure herein disclosed, the w x central tubular mber Ill or 10 is adapted to receive a specially\loaded cartridge 24 carrying a small primer 25 in its head to be fired by a firing pin in'the weapon. It is possible however, to incorporate a separate primer in the rear of the weapon and to ignite the powder in the capsules directly from it through an auxiliary igniter.

When the structure herein disclosed is followed,

. erably formed in pairs connected by webs 21, said webs of course having openings such as 28 registering with the openings 26. The fins may well be secured 'to the members ill or I by welding, as denoted at 29 in a number of the views.

The invention can, of course, be applied to ammunition for any caliber of weapon and ,any

number of capsules containing the increments of powder, may :be used. The cross section of the capsules may be of any-desired form and said capsules may be of any appropriate length. Preferably six capsules are used with their axes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the projectile.

The present invention is not concerned with stabilizing the projectile during flight and this may, of course, be accomplished in any appropriate way. Moreover, the invention is obviously not restricted to use in any particular kind of weapon. Then too, thestructural features which have beenshown for illustrative purposes, may be varied within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim: 7 i

1. A projectile" having radial fins, capsules of impelling powder extending longitudinally between said fins and'projecting forwardly therefrom, means for holding said capsules between said fins, fingers secured to and projecting forwardly from said front ends of said capsules, and

a a tie surrounding said fingers and'securing the front ends of said capsules in place. 7

'2. A projectile having radial fins, rearwardly Y located capsule-abutting means extending transversely of the rear ends of said fins, forwardly located capsule-abutting means extending transversely of the front ends of said fins, elongated capsules of impelling powder disposed longitudinally between said fins and of no greater length than thedistance between'said forwardly and rearwardly located capsule-abutting means,- the end-facing surfaces of said capsules being disposed against said capsule-abutting means to positively hold the capsules against longitudinal sliding between said fins, and means for holding said capsules against radial movement from said fins; at least one of said capsule-abutting means consisting of fingers bent laterally from said fins.

3. A projectile having radial fins, rearwardly located capsule-abutting means extending transversely of the rear ends of said fins, forwardly located capsule-abutting means extending transversely of the front ends of said fins, elongated capsules of impelling powder disposed longitudinally between said fins and of no greater length than the distance between said forwardly and rearwardly located capsule-abutting means, the end-facing surfaces of said capsules being disposed against said capsule-abutting means to positively hold the capsules against longitudinal sliding between said fins, and means for holding said capsules against radial movement from said fins; one of said capsule-abutting means consisting offingers bent laterally from said fins, the other of said capsule-abutting means consisting of a cord passing through openings in said fins.

4. A projectile having a long tail and radial fins at the rear end of said tail, capsules of impelling powder extending longitudinally between said fins and projecting forwardly therefrom around the front portion of said tail, means for holding said capsules between said fins, fingers secured to and projecting forwardly from the front ends of said capsules, said fingers lying'against the front portion of said tail; and a tie surrounding said fingers and securing them against said front portion of said tail.

5. A projectile having radial fins between which to place capsules of propelling powder, forwardly located capsule-abutting means extending transversely of the front ends of said fins, rearwardly located capsule-abutting means extending transversely of the rear ends of said fins, and means for holding the capsules against radial movement from the fins, said forwardly and rearwardly located capsule-abutting'means being positioned to abut forwardly and rearwardly facing end surfaces of the capsules, at least one of said capsule-abutting means consisting of fingers bent laterally from said fins.

HAROLD MORGAN BRAYTON. 

